1 Future Ready Toolkit v4, October 2014 Sept 2014, Version 4 Future Ready Blended and Online Learning Curriculum Design Toolkit Ideas, suggestions and worksheets for curriculum design at La Trobe. This toolkit was prepared by John Hannon and Claire Macken. Contribution and amendments are welcome and encouraged.
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Blended and Online Learning Curriculum Design Toolkit · That is, blended learning is a mix of face-to-face and online learning and can present an alternative to the traditional lecture/tutorial
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1 Future Ready Toolkit v4, October 2014
Sept 2014, Version 4
Future Ready
Blended and Online
Learning Curriculum
Design Toolkit
Ideas, suggestions and worksheets for
curriculum design at La Trobe.
This toolkit was prepared by John Hannon and Claire Macken. Contribution and
amendments are welcome and encouraged.
2 Future Ready Toolkit v4, October 2014
Contents
1. Introduction – Blended and Online Learning in the context of Future Ready ......... 3
A definition of blended and online learning ..................................................................... 3
Flexible and Online Learning Development (FOLD) projects .......................................... 5
Models of blended learning ............................................................................................ 7
Flipping the Lecture/Tutorial ........................................................................................... 8
At La Trobe University, the subject Acute Care B (NSG2ACB) is taught to students over four
campuses. The subject is structured around a blend of alternating face-to-face and online
lectures. Every fortnight, a 20 minute recorded mini-lecture is accompanied by learning
activities that are linked to Skills Workshops. In this blended model, an online mini-lecture is
linked to 30 mins of specific activities to obtain knowledge and factual content, for instance,
relevant reading, an e-book, or a quiz. The mini-lecture was produced from the desktop
using Echo360, a process that did not require technical support, rooms or resources.
A similar approach is described by Storgaard &
Heilesen (2010), in which a unit of study in which
lectures were replaced with short, thematic video
podcasts with which students constructed and
presented knowledge in small group sessions.
10 Future Ready Toolkit v3, October 2013
Example 3: Enquiry-based learning
An enquiry learning approach (Oliver, 2007) was used where “students were given a series
of authentic inquiry tasks supported by a raft of learning scaffolds. The technology-facilitated
system supported timely feedback and support and administrative efficiencies for the tutors
and teacher.”
La Trobe's Faculty of Health Sciences extensively uses enquiry based learning
Example 4: Block mode multi-campus teaching
A block mode of learning design can be useful in multicampus or distributed settings where
students cannot readily come to a regular sessions.
A blended learning approach for a large class described by Abraham (2007), commences
with block mode, then lecturers and tutors conduct interactive sessions online. Tutors
facilitate group work and formative assessment, that is provide personal guidance to
students on their learning:
“The face-to-face component consisted of one full-day workshop held in Week 2 and two half-
day workshops held in Weeks 7 and 11.”
“The workshops were supplemented with the provision of online notes and an online
serialised case study. The online component was delivered using a WebCT Vista interface
which allowed extensive use of both student-student and student-coordinator asynchronous
discussion between the workshop sessions.”
“Assessment items consisted of weekly online textbook questions, an assignment consisting
of both a group element and an individual online element, a series of three multiple choice
online tests in Weeks 6, 10 and 13, and a final exam, with only the final exam being
compulsory.”
Figure 6: Example of a Blended model - "Block mode"
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Figure 7: Learning spaces designed for collaboration at the La Trobe University Bundoora
campus
Example 5: A distributed learning approach
Caroline Walta (Education, Shepparton campus) has developed the Graduate Diploma in
Education (Middle Years) for post-graduate students who are off-campus and distributed in
locations throughout the state and nationally. She commences with a face-to-face block
mode meeting, then teaches online: with a blend of lecture presentations (podcasts or
vidcasts) and learning activities on the LMS, and online workshops using synchronous virtual
classroom interaction.
Learning activities online Learning activities in session
Reading
Learning activity from reading
Block Teaching (3 day)
Meet socially
Learning technology
Learning activities
Learning activities:
Video mini-lecture
Quiz activity
Reading
Recorded video
Learning activity: Groupwork
Quiz activity
Interactive session: synchronous or Online
forum
Learning activity: Groupwork
Assessment task
Figure 8: Multicampus Teaching B 2013
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Design Essentials for Blended and Learning
Blended and online learning must be centered upon the principles of good teaching and
student learning. Technology is a tool for learning, and can be used to enhance and achieve
student learning outcomes.
1. Constructive alignment
The starting point for FOLD design is based on the fundamentals of pedagogical design.
This is achieved by using good learning principles, including the pedagogical design
approach of constructive alignment (Biggs, 2003) where learning outcomes, assessment and
activities are aligned, with a focus on what the learner is doing.
2. Student engagement
The underlying purpose of FOLD is the design of subjects or courses is to improve student
engagement. Benson and Brack (2010) point out that technology will not make you a better
teacher, but the “wise use of it may make teaching and learning easier, more engaging,
more effective, and maybe more fun” (p.189).
3. Interactive online learning
Flexible and online learning activities and assessment should be designed around the
interaction between teacher and learner, with a focus on learning activities and for the
purpose of promoting active learning. Goodyear describes this as a shift “from content
towards activity” (2002, p.66) where content becomes a “resource for activity” rather than
content and information just transmitted to students. Effective online learning requires the
presence and interactive role of the lecturer, as well as the use and assessment of
asynchornous online discussion (Field, 2005).
4. Integrated design
Flexible and online learning activities should be integrated as part of a holistic subject or
course design, and not simply treated as a learning technology ‘added on’. The literature
supports the notion that effective learning using networked technologies need to be built-in
rather than bolted-on, so that online learning is not simply addedon to existing teaching
arrangements.
5. Customised design
There is no one ‘right’ model of flexible and online learning design, each design should fit the
particular subject or course. Sometimes a subject or course design can be simple,
sometimes it can be complex. The table on page 13 scopes the range of design context at
La Trobe University.
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Table 1: The complexity of a subject or course design approach
Type of FOLD Project Definition
LE
SS
CO
MP
LE
XIT
Y
Su
bje
ct
de
sig
n o
r re
de
sig
n
- single campus smaller subject
Less than 100 students 1 or 2 self-directed academics seeking redevelopment
– single campus midsize subject Single campus 200-500 students Between 1-5 academics
– single campus large subject Single campus 500-1000+ students Between 1-10 academics
- multi-campus smaller subject
Blended or online approaches 1-3 campuses involved Less than 100 students 2-5 academics across campuses Content expertise can be situated on one campus or spread across LTU campuses
- multi-campus midsize subject Blended or online approaches 1-5 campuses involved 200-500 students 2-8 academics across campuses Content expertise can be situated on one campus or spread across LTU campuses
- multi-campus large subject Blended or online approaches 1-5 campuses involved 500-1000+ students 2-10 academics across campuses Content expertise can be situated on one campus or spread across LTU campuses
MO
RE
CO
MP
LIC
AT
ED
Co
urs
e d
esig
n (
new
co
urs
e)
Single campus existing course
redesign
Blended or online approaches Course exists and requires redevelopment 1 campus 5-20 academics involved
Multi-campus existing course
redesign
Blended or online approaches
Course exists and requires redevelopment
2-5 campuses
5-20+ academics involved
- single campus new course Blended or online approaches
1 campus
5-20 academics involved
- multi-campus new course Blended or online approaches
2-5 campuses
5-20+ academics involved
Series of new courses (e.g.
Whole school development)
Blended or online approaches
1-5 campuses
sets of courses involved (e.g. Common first year)
The following sections of the Toolkit present resources and worksheets for the FOLD
process based on the course design intensive process.
14 Future Ready Toolkit v3, October 2013
2. Planning a Blended Learning Design
Figure 6: Planning a blended learning design
To plan for a blended or online learning design in a subject or course, you will need to:
2. Define your goals: set your goals for the subject, clearly defining intended learning
outcomes.
3. Identify your needs: set up a timeline for design development, identify support and
resources needed, and plan for FOLD design intensives to work through the curriculum
change.
4. Organise a team: draw on discipline academics, educational designers and academic
developers. Plan and request support from the library, graphic design, production, ICT,
learner-content interaction: knowledge content and formative assessment (quizzes)
learner-teacher interaction: dialogue and knowledge construction with lecturer/facilitator/tutor
learner-learner interaction: discussion and collaborative knowledge building
9. Document your plan
How will you get the
School/Faculty support you
need?
Summarise your plan: in a table,
timeline, a flowchart, or a
series of scenarios, or some
combination.
Write a requirements document before the development stage
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3. Designing Curriculum for Blended Learning
Figure 7: Designing curriculum for blended learning
To design for blended learning in a subject or course, there is a need to:
Write intended learning outcomes (ILOs); and
Map intended learning outcomes and assigning graduate capabilities
At La Trobe the principles of curriculum design were articulated as part of the Design for
Learning project.
The following Quick Guide describes the process of writing ILOs
and mapping ILOs to graduate capabilities.
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Writing Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) at La Trobe
Author: Dr Judy Lyons
Definition
Intended learning outcomes (ILOs) are explicit statements of what a learner is supposed to
be able to do, while standards describe the level of achievement. The key to La Trobe
University ILO standards is that each ILO will have standards developed to measure the
achievement of graduate capabilities in the course at cornerstone, midpoint and capstone
elements of the subjects.
There are different levels of ILO statements within the curriculum:
University level ILOs are institutional undertakings from the University to Government,
Quality Enhancement and Accreditation Boards and reflect the requirements of Australian
Qualifications framework.
Course level ILOs is broad statements at course level. They relate to the university’s
mission and encompass the benefits to and requirements of the key stakeholders namely
the University, Professional Accreditation Bodies, employers, students and discipline
communities.
Subject level ILOs relates to the course ILOs and outline the graduate capabilities and
outcomes that will be achieved in the subject.
Topic level ILOs relate to the subject and describe the graduate capabilities and outcomes
that will be achieved in a specific teaching and learning session.
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QUICK GUIDE
Writing CLEAR Intended Learning Outcomes for your Subject
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) are the foundation of effective curriculum design. They are statements about what you would like students to learn, the level you would like them to learn at, and how they are expected to demonstrate their learning. In other words, they describe student learning at the end of a program of study. All other aspects of teaching and curriculum (for example, your selection of the learning activities and the assessment tasks) should flow from a clear statement of learning outcomes. ILOs signal to students what they should focus on and where they should direct their effort in order to be a successful learner in your subject. This Quick Guide is intended to help you write ILOs that are appropriate to the subject you teach. Intended Learning Outcomes should be written with the following CLEAR dimensions in mind. Use the Checklist to ensure your ILOs are appropriate.
Why is this important? Checklist: Does the ILO?
CONSTRUCTIVELY
ALIGNED
All subject level ILOs exist in a context: typically a year level, disciplinary major, course degree program and a policy context. Effective subject ILOs are written with knowledge and understanding of those contexts.
Take account of the subject’s year level.
Account for the status of the subject if it contains cornerstone, midpoint or capstone elements (i.e., faculty graduate capabilities).
Advance a course degree outcome.
Take account of La Trobe University policy requirements .
Meet the requirements of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF).
LEARNING
FOCUSED
ILOs are not statements of disciplinary knowledge or content. They are statements about what you would like students to learn and do with the disciplinary content. Subject ILOs should contain a ‘verb’ that expresses the learning students are expected to actively demonstrate.
Contain a single verb that is appropriate to the level of learning students are expected to demonstrate.
Convey information about what the student has to do to demonstrate their learning.
Provide opportunities for cognitive, affective and kinaesthetic forms of learning.
EQUITABLE It is important that all students have an opportunity to achieve the subject ILOs. Where appropriate, it may be important to build in the flexibility for students to achieve the ILOs in different ways.
Present all students with an opportunity to achieve it.
Account for the diversity of the student cohort.
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ASSESSABLE The ILOs in a subject are most effective when they are directly linked to the assessment. Since ILOs express the most important aspects of student learning in the subject, the opportunity to demonstrate that learning should be made available through a range of assessment tasks.
Directly inform the design of the subject’s overall approach to assessment.
Relate specifically to an assessment task, and the assessment task to the ILO.
Enable a valid and confident measurement of student learning.
RELEVANT The ILOs need to be relevant to the aim of the subject and/or the professional context. It is likely that the ILOs will take into account the latest research and development in the discipline.
Express the most important and/or current developments in the discipline/profession that are relevant to the subject.
Articulate with professional accreditation requirements.
Levels of Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL
Describing the course context
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)
Professional Accreditation
University Graduate Capabilities Definitions and
Standards and Essentials
COURSE LEVEL
Setting Course Intended Learning Outcomes
Aims of the course
Describe to students what they will learn and be able to on completion of the course
Design and sequence the learning experience so students achieve the course learning outcomes
Design subjects, assessment and feedback so that students have the best opportunity to achieve course learning outcomes
o make judgements regarding extent to which something satisfies chosen
criteria.
o evaluate, justify, critique, appraise, argue, judge, predict, assess, defend,
value, compare, estimate, support.
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Examples of intended learning outcomes
Through accessing subject information from five modules (Context of Care and the Health
System, Organisational Dynamics, Professional Development, Evidence/Quality and
Professional Accountability) and through written activities, discussions, other readings, on-
line interaction and team work, students will be able to:
describe, discuss and analyse the structure and influences of the health system,
demonstrate an interdisciplinary awareness.
describe and explore the contribution of other professions to health and human
service delivery.
engage in team work with students from other health and human service professions.
describe and analyse the rights and expectations of service consumers and apply the
key issues of ethical decision making.
Key References on learning outcomes
Anderson, L. W. & Krathwohl, D. (Eds.) (2001). Taxonomy for learning, teaching and assessing: A revision of Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives. New York: Longman.
Biggs, J. & Tang, C. (2007). Teaching for Quality Learning at University: What the Student Does (3rd Edition). UK: Society for Research into Higher Education & Open University Press.
Bloom’s Taxonomy: http://at.ccconline.org/faculty/wiki/Teaching_Resources_-_Other_Resources_-Blooms_Taxonomy (Colorado Community Colleges Online).
Hussey, T. & Smith, P. (2002). The Trouble with Learning Outcomes. Active Learning in Higher Education, 3(3), 220-233.
Ramsden, P. (2003). Learning to Teach in Higher Education (2nd Ed). London: Routledge.
The learning design checklist is intended to help you consider a process for setting up a
subject in an online environment.
The following information provides details of each step in the process:
1. Introduction
1.1
Introduction should include:
subject description subject
intended learning outcomes
expectations of student learning in this subject
what students can expect of staff in this subject – including when you are available,
contact details
2. Program information
2.1 Timetables, Instruments, Learning handbooks.
2.2
Prerequisite knowledge and skills:
State any minimum prerequisite knowledge/skills students must have to understand
content in the current module.
Label this section "Prerequisite knowledge and skills".
2.3
Prescribed / Recommended texts for the module:
Provide information as to the prescribed text and/or the recommended text.
It is preferable for these to be available online through the library.
Label this section "Prescribed / Recommended texts"
2.4
Estimated Student Learning Hours:
Provide an estimate of the time required for students to complete the module, including
all readings, watching video lectures, performing learning activities and self-directed
study.
It excludes time for assessment activities.
2.5
For each assessment task:
Provide clear assessment instructions ensuring the assessment assesses the stated
learning outcomes and is consistent with learning activities and provided content.
Explain how the assessment will be assessed and grading policies (links to marking
rubrics, other relevant assessment tool that may be used).
Explain how and when feedback will be given to students.
Clearly explain how to submit assessment, due dates, and logistics for assessment
(e.g.. formative/summative meetings; use of Turnitin with instructions on how/when to
use it etc.).
33 Future Ready Toolkit v3, October 2013
2.6
Other assessment information that should be provided:
Explain exactly what is assessable in the subject and what isn’t.
Explain where support can be obtained for assessments if needed.
3. Learning activities and resources
3.1 Select content and design learning activities that allow students to meet learning outcomes, and
link to assessment tasks that examine whether the outcomes have been met.
3.2
Provide learning activities and resources that are appropriate for the subject, e.g., learning
activities are presented in a format appropriate to the online environment, accessible and
useable by all students.
3.3
Learning resources and content should not be limited to only readings / journal articles, e.g.,
content might be lecturer created content, websites, images, figures, diagrams, links to
prescribed textbooks or e-books, short 5-10min PowerPoint presentations.
3.4 Ensure all learning resources and materials are appropriately cited and comply with copyright
and moral rights obligations.
3.5 Any activity included in the module must be accompanied by a statement explaining: Why the
activity is relevant and what the student should gain from the reading.
4. Summary
4.1 Summary paragraph should be included that provides a conclusion for the module.
5. Reference List
5.1
Reference list is provided using correct referencing style, listing all references used in the online
learning environment.
Adapted from POSTGRADUATE NURSING LMS MODULE REVIEW CHECKLIST Prepared by Claire Macken & Pauline Wong. Adapted from: CHA Module Review Checklist and Melbourne University, Teaching and Learning (Multimedia and Educational Technologies) Committee Working Group on Online Subjects, developed by a working group of the Teaching and Learning (Multimedia and Educational Technologies) Committee of Academic Board. Membership of the group was Dianne Chambers, Chris Higgs, David Hirst, Richard James, Peter Tregloan and Harry Watson, 2006.
34 Future Ready Toolkit v3, October 2013
5. Evaluating Blended Learning
Figure 9: Implement and evaluate blended learning
This section contains suggestions and worksheets relating to:
Holistic evaluation of FOLD projects
Focusing Evaluation
Reeves & Hedberg’s (2003) Conducting Evaluations approach for e-learning
Evaluation of Flexible Learning by Peer Review
o Evaluation of constructive alignment o Methods for Gathering data
35 Future Ready Toolkit v3, October 2013
1. Holistic evaluation of FOLD projects
Projects based on La Trobe University’s Flexible and Online Learning Development (FOLD)
approach adopt a holistic approach to curriculum design and development that seeks to
integrate the constituents of an active learning environment. The principles for FOLD are set
out in the Introduction Section.
Institutional evaluation is available for all subjects through student feedback measures and
through course lifecycle policy and procedures.
The team-based approach to FOLD invites participation and expertise from a broad range of
Figure 11: Applied to the FOLD process, the Key stages take on an iterative cycle.
The FOLD approach aims to embed FOLD principles by:
1. Pedagogically inspired and learner-centred. It maps these principles for online pedagogy.
2. Learning environments rather than learning objects. It encompasses the people, practices and arrangements for learning (‘Learning ecosystems’).
3. Shared and sustainable practice. Creates designs that are useable across several contexts.
4. The scale and range of settings are appropriate to the educational aims and objectives.
5. Compatible with the La Trobe context. Strategic, and yet, discipline focussed;
achievable; collaborative (including the uses of resources); uses an intensive
methodology.
37 Future Ready Toolkit v3, October 2013
2. Focusing Evaluation
Establish the basic purpose of the evaluation, for example, formative or summative, then the
focus in the evaluation context, and finally the strategies for gathering evidence, e.g., focus
group, observation, survey, and so on.
Type of evaluation Focus Strategies
Formative evaluation:
Design evaluation
Will involve ascertaining the match between the ‘learning and instructional goals’ and the design specification.
Peer-review of the design model/architecture (combined with
interview assisted think aloud).
Prototype evaluation Will involve ascertaining whether the educational innovation matches predefined design criteria. This involves a small group of students as well as the tutors.
Direct observation (combined with structured responses via checklist).
Focus group or individual interview
(semi-structured).
Implementation evaluation
Involves gathering data from a larger sample of users in the first full-scale use of the materials in a real teaching and learning situation.
Direct observation (combined with structured responses via checklist/questionnaire).
Analysis of user interactions and
products of their learning activities.
User’s self-reporting which includes post-hoc comments gained through querying, and analysis of Critical Reflections on the learning activities.
Semi-structured and open-ended questionnaires of user satisfaction
with the materials.
Summative evaluation
Outcome evaluation, effects on specifically defined learning outcomes.
Impact evaluation will examine the overall or net effects of the program or technology as a whole.
Outcome evaluation can be achieved through looking at student performance on the assigned tasks.
Impact evaluation can be achieved through the use of questionnaires, and focus group debriefs.
Monitoring and on-going evaluation
Secondary analysis re-examines existing data to address new questions.
Integration of innovation. The extent to which the study materials are forming an integral part of teaching and learning of the subject.
Time on task. This is an estimation of time spent by teachers and students on the required tasks.
Secondary analysis is achieved through critical analysis of existing data.
Integration of innovation. Can be ascertained by examining current practice.
Time on task. Can be ascertained by reviewing logs kept by teachers and students.